Soviet Union split, cold war came to a halt, western scholars celebrated it as the triumph of capitalism, democracy and the end of the history. They boasted the universalism of western model of governance, institutions and ideals. Some scholars too prophesied that capitalism and democracy are the only models to achieve all-round advancement, at par with western nations. They declared that western nations are ready to export capitalism and democracy to the rest of the world.
“Can Asians think?”, a compilation of thought provoking first rate essays, first time by an Asian, expressed dissenting voice against the conventional wisdom of western liberal intellectual orthodox scholars. Author Sri Kishore Mahbubani, a Singaporean diplomat, refuted the claim of western universalism and argued that something which is good for western nations may not be good for other nations.
As per the author, his essays are intended to stimulate Asian minds to address questions about their future. He warned the Asian nations to search their own model of governance, institutions and ideals, rooted in their own age-old civilizations. The author stressed that western nations have already contributed a large in the field of science and technology for the service of mankind and hence, it is now the time for Asian nations to contribute their share. But, the author reminded this must be done by inventing and exploring their own, not by borrowing or importing from Europe.
Communist ruled china realised and worked on this idea from the eras of Deng Xioping, prioritised to revive Confucianism, Taoism and Mandarin language as the base civilizational bed rock, to search their models of different institutions in their own historical past. This may the reason for China’s emergence as the most developed and influential nation.
Turkey under Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russia under Vladimir Putin and Japan under Shinzo Abe followed the footstep of China and are also reviving their own civilizations to search their own alternative models of various institutions in order to modernise and advance at par with western nations. Scholars are now debating and advocating the newly described term “Civilizational State” to properly define the identity of these countries in place of “Nation State”.
Unfortunately, Bharat, the home of Hindu civilization, is the only state which has dumped its core civilizational values and is busy in exporting western ideals and institutions to modernise itself. This is the biggest tragedy ever met by any civilization in its own land. This may be the reason why Bharat failed to prosper and self-sustain itself after 75 years of independence.
This misfortune loomed over Bharat is due to the dominating anti–Hindu ecosystem created by sections of secularists, liberals, humanists and communists. The plans, policies and decisions taken by legislature, executive and judiciary are mostly influenced by this anti-Hindu ecosystem.
In their despise towards Hindu civilization, those sections are often seen of voicing the common cause of Islamist and Christian Evangelists. The discriminatory provisions in Bharatiya constitution, the step motherly behaviour of Bharatiya state and the indifferent attitude of judiciary towards Hindu cause are the outcome of this anti-Hindu eco-system.
Dr Koenard Elst, has correctly highlighted in his book “Hindu Dharma and the Culture War”, that, “In Bharat, the noticeable culture war is within the Hindu communities, between conventionalists and secularists and the warring parties foam at the mouth and even indulge in divisive or anti-national activities that can ultimately cause civil war or nation’s disintegration”.
Hindu civilization is in peril. Many Hindus argue that, this statement is fundamentally flaw as Hindu dharma is “Sanatana” and it cannot be wiped out. But, can Hindus ever think that they had lost almost a major part of their territory? Can Hindus ever think that they have been synchronised and reduced to a weaker race in their own land? Can Hindus ever think that they have been emasculated by the discriminatory provisions in Bharatiya constitutions and discriminatory plans, policies and decisions by Bharatiya states, and judiciaries? Can Hindus ever think to express their dissent over this discrimination? Can Hindus ever think the essence of reviving their civilization is the only remedy in order to make their nation truly great?
Why revival of Hindu Civilization?
Max Weber hypothesised that the societies which have grounded the protestant Christianity ethics are only prone to economic growth and Asiatic societies, evolved from Hindu Dharma, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism, cannot advance economically due to their passive look to the living life and extra interest for salvation after life. To the surprise of many western protestant Christian states, Japan, an Asian Nation, defied the Weber’s hypothesis, by its rapid economic growth of double digit of 12%, hence become subject for research interest.
Paul Bairoch, a Swiss economic historian, published his researched work “Economics and World History: Myths and Paradoxes” covering economic history of 19th and 20th centuries, which revealed up to 1820, China, followed by Bharat were the largest contributors to world GDP which declined later with the simultaneous rise of western nations.
The author concluded the reason of growth of western nations is due to exploitation of colonised nations. The developed nations of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) cannot digest this revelation and assigned Angus Maddison, noted economic historian of UK, to unravel the truth. He published his research thesis “The World Economy: Historical Statistics” in 2004, covering contribution of nations in GDP for last two millennium.
The opponents of revival of Hindu civilization must observe that Bharat was the leading contributor, with china in the 2nd position, throughout 1st millennium. China overtook Bharat, only around 1500AD. They both led the world up to 1820AD and declined after the colonial rule established by the Europeans. China again gained her momentum around the end of the twentieth century and emerged as an economic superpower.
Though, growth of Bharat has been started in late twentieth century, but still to be honest, China is far ahead in every aspect. The sole reason of China’s economic growth can be attributed to its positive connection with civilizational heritage.
Though China ruled by a politically communist regime, still they developed strong interest and affinity to their culture and civilization. Whereas Bharatiya communists, are still filled with hatred towards Hindu civilization, which is verifiable from the coining of the term “Hindu Rate of Growth” by Prof. Raj Krishna to the poor economic growth during 1950s to 1980s.
In the last 70 years Hindus has been taught systematically in their class curriculum to hate their civilizational heritage as unscientific, unprogressive, uncivilised and irrational. Todays Hindu generations are the product of such education system, who looked down upon their own civilizational heritage.
Noted Hindu revivalist thinker Shri Rajiv Malhotra, while challenged the western universalism in his book “Being Different”, established that the essence of revival of Hindu civilization is to maintain the diversity of the world. He reminded the Abrahamic world, that it is the Hindu civilization in the lap of Bharatiya subcontinent, which has protected and preserved the minor religions like Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism and the micro religion of Zoroastrianism.
It very well-known that Hindu Bharat had provided safeguard and freedom of flourish to the earlier persecuted Syrian Christians, Jews and Zoroastrian communities when Christianity and Islam invaded their land. When the Islamic rule was established in southern coastal region and Christian rule established in Goa those sheltered communities were again persecuted in their hand. Therefore, Hindu Civilization must be preserved and flourished to maintain religious diversity of the world.
The polytheistic civilization which is the bedrock of plurality and diversity of society, once flourished in entire Europe, Arab, and American main land has been destroyed with the advent of these monotheistic religions of Christianity and Islam. Hindu civilization is the only polytheistic society which has survived and hence need to be revived in order to maintain the composite and diversity nature of Bharatiya society.
Ancient Hindus had flourished a vibrant culture of innovation and creation, this has been clearly reflected in Sanskritic literatures, ancient crafts and sculptures. This culture had been ruptured during the colonial era. The revival of Hindu civilization will also revive the scientific temperament and skills among its generations.
Plea to civilizational and ideological opponents
Bharatiya Muslims and Christians must understand that the revival of Hindu civilization and heritage will automatically guarantee their protection and freedom. They must realise that the communal atmosphere of lack of trust is only due to their religious zeal of conquering the land and converting the Hindus to their fold. Their past is rooted in this civilization and they can own and feel pride for it without hesitation.
They must understand that their behaviour of arrogance and intolerance towards other communities springs from their religious doctrines and they have to rescue themselves from this psychological disease by interiorizing the Hindu civilizational values of their own land.
Problem with importing Western values
Most of the Hindus are unaware, ignorant and ill-informed that the values for which they have been debating, such as democracy, republic, secular, tolerance, liberty, Fraternity, humanism, nation-state, capitalism, communism, feminism, Individual Right, Freedom of expression etc. are all the by-products of Protestant Christian movement in Europe against the authoritarian Catholic church.
While importing these values from west, the embedded protestant Christian religious ethics are also being imported automatically which have a natural tendency to oppose and uproot anything that is native to civilization of the land. This phenomenon has been witnessed in Bharat, that those who are advocating for these western values are also opposing or critical to anything related to Hindu cause.
Objective of revival of Hindu Civilization
The usual opponents of revival of Hindu civilization must understand that the effort by a Hindu to rediscover Hindu values is a desire to reconnect with his historical past, which had been ruptured both by colonial rule and by the subsequent domination of the globe by western philosophy.
The call for revival of Hindu civilization is an honest effort by a Hindu to define its own social and national identities in a way which will enhance his sense of self-esteem in a world, where his immediate ancestors had subconsciously accepted that they were lesser beings in a western universe and Abrahamic world. The opponents must not misunderstand it as a war like call of jihad or crusade in Abrahamic world.
Call to Hindus
The revival of Hindu civilization completely rests on the shoulders of individual Hindus and their psychological preparedness to reclaim and reconnect with their civilizational heritage with pride. Hindus must understand that if their civilization survived the wrath of Christianity and Islamic waves, then something very powerful is embedded in their culture.
Therefore, they must show keen interest in Sanskrit language and literatures to explore the roots of their social fabrics to design their social, political and economical institutions. Hindus must show seriousness in critical studying of opponent’s work on Hindu civilization and publishing proper counter narrations to build up favourable eco-system.
Role of the State and State Functionaries
The duty and responsibility of a state is to protect its indigenous civilization. Bharatiya state must realise that the Hindu civilization is intrinsic to its land and must care for its protection. Therefore, Bharatiya state must work for repealing the provisions from Article 25 to Article 30 in Bharatiya Constitution, which are systematically and gradually annihilating the Hindu civilization.
To provide an immediate boost, Bharatiya state must withdraw its control on Hindu temples. Bharatiya state must care for implementing Uniform Civil Code and introducing a subject “Religion and Philosophy” in educational curriculum to enable Bharatiya kids and youths know the fundamental doctrines and philosophies of every religion. Bharatiya judiciary system should be more cautious while admitting a PIL or pronouncing a judgement or passing a remark against any Hindu civilizational institution.
Above all, Bharatiya state must understand that reconnection with civilizational heritage will definitely boom the morals of its generations which will ultimately emerged Bharat into a global power in the field of science, technology, economics, political and social sectors.
-by Dr. Rakesh Muduli and Sri Devasis Mishra
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